Impact of neurovascular bundle preservation on biochemical recurrence after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy for high-risk prostate cancer.

Purpose: To evaluate functional and oncological outcomes in patients who underwent unilateral or bilateral nerve-sparing (NS) robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) for high-risk prostate cancer.

Methods: The cohort comprised 2683 patients with clinical stage T1-4, N0M0 high-risk prostate cancer who underwent RARP in Japanese tertiary care centers from August 2011 to April 2023. High risk was defined using the European Association of Urology risk stratification criteria.

Transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 gene-deficiency attenuates the inhibitory effect of 5,6-dihydroxy-8Z,11Z,14Z,17Z-eicosatetraenoic acid on vascular permeability in mice.

We investigated whether an anti-inflammatory lipid metabolite named 5,6-DiHETE reduces vascular permeability by inhibiting TRPV4 channels in vivo. In wild-type (WT) mice, histamine-induced dye extravasation was reduced by pre-administration of 5,6-DiHETE. In TRPV4-deficient mice, extravasation and histamine-induced edema were already reduced, and 5,6-DiHETE had no additional effect.

Orally administrated acetate inhibits atherosclerosis progression through AMPK activation via GPR43 in plaque macrophages.

Background And Aims: Oral administration of acetic acid, a short-chain fatty acid, has been shown to efficiently reduce obesity and insulin resistance in both experimental animals and humans. The anti-atherosclerotic effect of acetate is expected owing to its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative stress characteristics; however, this remains to be fully understood.

Methods: For 12 weeks, apolipoprotein E-deficient mice were administered 0.

Therapeutic targeting potential of the protein lysine and arginine methyltransferases to reverse cancer chemoresistance.

Cancer treatments have continued to improve tremendously over the past decade, but therapy resistance is still a common, major factor encountered by patients diagnosed with cancer. Chemoresistance arises due to various circumstances and among these causes, increasing evidence has shown that enzymes referred to as protein methyltransferases (PMTs) play a significant role in the development of chemoresistance in various cancers. These enzymes are responsible for the methylation of different amino acids, particularly lysine and arginine, via protein lysine methyltransferases (PKMTs) and protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs), respectively.

Isolation method of brain microvessels from small frozen human brain tissue for blood-brain barrier protein expression analysis.

Background: Protein expression analysis of isolated brain microvessels provides valuable insights into the function of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). However, isolation of brain microvessels from human brain tissue, particularly in small quantities, poses significant challenges. This study presents a method for isolating brain microvessels from a small amount of frozen human brain tissue, adapting techniques from an established mouse brain capillary isolation method.

Using GRAM Domain-Based Biosensors to Monitor Accessible Cholesterol Distribution in Live Cells.

Cholesterol is a vital component of cellular membranes, playing a crucial role in membrane integrity and cell signaling. It is unevenly distributed among different cellular compartments, with the highest enrichment in the plasma membrane (PM). Dysregulation of cellular cholesterol distribution is linked to various disorders, including cardiovascular and neurological diseases.

Dynamic susceptibility contrast perfusion MRI helps in differentiating double-expressor from non-double-expressor subtypes in primary central nervous system lymphoma.

Purpose: In the 2016 WHO Classification of Lymphoid Tissue Neoplasms, co-expression of MYC and BCL2 is newly designated as double expressor lymphoma. Patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma with double expressor (DE-PCNSL) have been reported to have a higher risk of recurrence and a worse prognosis than those with PCNSL without double expressor (non-DE-PCNSL). The aim of this study was to determine whether DE-PCNSL has characteristic clinical and MR imaging features compared to non-DE-PCNSL.

Association between choroid plexus volume and cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults without dementia: a population-based cross-sectional analysis.

Background: An increase in choroid plexus (CP) volume may be associated with cognitive decline in older individuals without dementia. In this study, we aimed to clarify whether CP volume can serve as an imaging marker of cognitive decline, determine how strongly CP volume is associated with cognitive decline, and explore factors associated with CP volume in older adults.

Methods: We measured CP volume, brain parenchyma, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) spaces associated with disproportionately enlarged subarachnoid space hydrocephalus (DESH), an imaging feature of normal-pressure hydrocephalus, in community-dwelling older adults aged ≥ 65 years without dementia.

The efficacy and safety of stepwise oral food challenge in children with hen's egg allergy.

Background: Oral food challenge (OFC) is the gold standard for diagnosing food allergies (FAs) but carries the risk of anaphylactic reaction. Stepwise OFC, starting with a low dose of allergen and progressing to medium and full doses, is effective in determining a tolerable dose. We retrospectively evaluated the results of a stepwise OFC for hen's egg (HE) to demonstrate its safety and efficacy.

Role of carglumic acid in the long-term management of propionic and methylmalonic acidurias.

Propionic aciduria (PA) and methylmalonic aciduria (MMA) are rare inherited disorders caused by defects in the propionate metabolic pathway. PA due to propionyl coenzyme A carboxylase deficiency results in accumulation of propionic acid, while in MMA, deficiency in methylmalonyl coenzyme A mutase leads to accumulation of methylmalonic acid. Hyperammonemia is related to a secondary deficiency of N-acetylglutamate (NAG), the activator of carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1, which is an irreversible rate-limiting enzyme in the urea cycle.

Skeletal Muscle Mass Loss and Physical Function in Young to Middle-Aged Adult Patients With Diabetes: Cross-Sectional Observational Study.

Background: Recently, it has been reported that older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have lower skeletal muscle mass than healthy individuals. Although skeletal muscle mass in older adults with diabetes is occasionally reported, similar reports on young to middle-aged adults are limited.

Objective: This study aims to assess the prevalence of skeletal muscle loss in young to middle-aged adults with diabetes, examine the relationship between skeletal muscle loss and physical function in these patients, and examine whether there are differences in these characteristics between men and women.

Deep learning-based cytoskeleton segmentation for accurate high-throughput measurement of cytoskeleton density.

Microscopic analyses of cytoskeleton organization are crucial for understanding various cellular activities, including cell proliferation and environmental responses in plants. Traditionally, assessments of cytoskeleton dynamics have been qualitative, relying on microscopy-assisted visual inspection. However, the transition to quantitative digital microscopy has introduced new technical challenges, with segmentation of cytoskeleton structures proving particularly demanding.

Harnessing mixed-phase MoS for efficient room-temperature ammonia sensing.

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS), a notable two-dimensional (2D) material, has attracted considerable interest for its potential applications in gas sensing, despite its typically insulating characteristics, which have limited its practical use. In this study, we present the use of mixed phase MoS (1T@2H-MoS) to overcome sensing limitations of MoS material by enhancing its conductivity and demonstrating its high-performance characteristics for sensing ammonia (NH) at room temperature (20 °C). The 1T@2H-MoS was synthesized a hydrothermal process, and the coexistence of two different phases (the 1T and 2H phases) was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy.

Long-Term Outcomes of Tafamidis Treatment for Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy in Two Patients.

Tafamidis is the only currently available disease-modifying agent for transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM); however, reports on its long-term efficacy, safety, and longitudinal cardiac parameter outcomes are lacking. Herein, we present 2 cases of wild-type ATTR-CM receiving tafamidis for 9 years, in which serial long-term follow-up data were obtained. In both cases, tafamidis treatment was continued without any adverse effects, and no hospitalization due to heart failure occurred.

Association between microenvironment-related genes and prognosis of primary central nervous system lymphoma.

Background: Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare lymphoid malignancy. Systemic profiling of the PCNSL tumor microenvironment (TME) was previously conducted through gene expression analysis. We investigated the prognostic impact of TME on survival to establish novel prognostic biomarkers in PCNSL patients.

Significance and limitations of routine p16/Ki-67 immunohistochemistry as a diagnostic tool for high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions of the uterine cervix.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic utility and limitations of routine p16 and Ki-67 immunohistochemistry (IHC) in detecting high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs) in the uterine cervix.

Methods: We reviewed 2,061 cervical biopsy records, including 271 morphologically indeterminate squamous lesions, evaluated using p16/Ki-67 IHC for HSIL detection or exclusion. HSIL was diagnosed based on p16 positivity and a high Ki-67 labeling index (Ki-LI).

Oxidation of thiol groups in membrane proteins inhibits the fertilization ability and motility of sperm by suppressing calcium influx.

The redox state of thiol groups derived from cysteine residues in proteins regulates cellular functions. Changes in the redox state of thiol groups in the epididymis are involved in sperm maturation. Furthermore, the redox state of thiol groups in proteins changes during the process of sperm capacitation.

Pt-Decorated ZnO Nanorods for Light-Assisted Ethanol Sensing and Analysis of the Sensing Mechanism under Light Irradiation.

ZnO nanorods have attracted much attention owing to their outstanding properties for chemical gas sensors. Although they show greater sensing properties than conventional nanoparticulate ZnO, high operation temperature (>250-350 °C) is required for them to work even if precious metals are deposited on them to sensitize their sensing properties. Light irradiation is one solution for overcoming the high operation temperature and the gas selectivity because it assists the oxidation activity on the surface that affects the sensor response.

From structure prediction to function: defining the domain on the African swine fever virus CD2v protein required for binding to erythrocytes.

Unlabelled: African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a high-consequence pathogen posing a substantial threat to global food security. This large DNA virus encodes more than 150 open reading frames, many of which are uncharacterized. The gene encodes CD2v, a glycoprotein expressed on the surface of infected cells and the only viral protein known to be present in the virus external envelope.

Increased CSN5 expression enhances the sensitivity to lenalidomide in multiple myeloma cells.

Lenalidomide (LEN) is commonly used as an effective therapeutic agent for multiple myeloma (MM). However, in some patients, primary resistance to LEN is observed, the mechanisms of which remain poorly understood. In this study, we combined a LEN sensitivity assay with proteomics data from 15 MM cell lines to identify protein expression profiles associated with primary LEN resistance.

The Two Faces of Angiopoietin-Like Protein 2 in Cancer.

The tumor microenvironment is composed of tumor cells and various stromal cell types, such as immune cells, fibroblasts, and vascular cells. Signaling interactions between tumor and stromal cells orchestrate the tumor microenvironment's contribution to tumor progression. Angiopoietin-like protein 2 (ANGPTL2) is a secreted glycoprotein homologous to angiopoietins.

Amino Acid and Essential Fatty Acid in Evacuation Shelter Food in the Noto Peninsula Earthquake: Comparison with the 2024 Simultaneous National Survey in Japan.

Background: On 1 January 2024, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula. We entered the disaster area to provide relief and set up a makeshift clinic in an evacuation center to evaluate the quality and quantity of food provided there.

Motor information contributes to visuotactile interaction in trunk-centered peripersonal space during a pedaling situation.

Peripersonal space (PPS), the space immediately surrounding one's body, contributes to interactions with the external environment. Previous studies have demonstrated that PPS expands during whole-body self-motion. Furthermore, motor and proprioceptive information contributes to this phenomenon.

Clinical practice guidelines for management of disseminated intravascular coagulation in Japan 2024. Part 1: sepsis.

The Japanese Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis (JSTH) published the first-ever disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) guidelines in 2009. Fifteen years later, the JSTH developed new guidelines covering DIC associated with various underlying conditions. These guidelines were developed in accordance with the GRADE system to determine the strength of the recommendations and certainty of the evidence.